Australia’s Two-Tier Visitor System: Why Some Travellers Pay AUD 20 and Others Pay Nothing
Updated: 3 hours ago
CANBERRA, October 18, 2026 — Australia operates one of the world’s cheapest visitor visa regimes, but the cost depends entirely on which passport you hold. Visitors from 34 qualifying countries are required to pay a AUD 20 service fee for an Electronic Travel Authority (ETA), whereas citizens of 36 European countries can acquire an eVisitor visa at no cost.
The distinction is not a visa application charge in either case. Australia’s Department of Home Affairs confirms that the AUD 20 attached to the ETA is a service fee for using the Australian ETA app, not a government visa charge. “There is no other charge payable for an ETA,” the department states in its official ETA guidance.
The Cost Structure, Explained
Visa | Subclass | Cost | Application Method |
ETA | 601 | AUD 20 service fee | Australian ETA mobile app only |
eVisitor | 651 | Free | ImmiAccount (online) |
Both visas carry identical core conditions: 12-month validity, multiple entries, and a maximum stay of 3 months per visit.
The difference lies in the application channel. The ETA is lodged exclusively through the Australian ETA app, which uses NFC scanning to read the passport chip and requires a selfie for identity verification. The eVisitor is applied for through ImmiAccount, the department’s standard online portal.
For travellers who qualify for both, the choice is between paying AUD 20 for a faster, app-based process or paying nothing and using the standard online system.
Who Pays and Who Does Not
The split follows passport nationality, not travel purpose.
ETA-eligible passports (34 countries) include the United States, Canada, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, Brunei, Hong Kong SAR, Taiwan, and British National (Overseas) passports. These travellers have no eVisitor option. The ETA is their only electronic pathway.
eVisitor-eligible passports (36 European countries) cover all 27 EU member states plus the United Kingdom, Norway, Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino, and the Vatican. For these travellers, the eVisitor is free and remains the standard route.
Twenty-four passports appear on both lists, including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, Sweden, and the United Kingdom (British Citizen). These travellers have a genuine choice, and most comparison guides overlook it.
The Australian government does not penalise ETA-eligible travellers who cannot use the app. The Department advises that those unable to use the ETA app can apply for another suitable visa through ImmiAccount.
The 2026 Fee Context: What Did Not Change
The AUD 20 / free split has survived Australia’s most aggressive visa fee increase in years.
On 1 July 2026, the Department of Home Affairs raised most visa fees by approximately 25% — roughly eight times the usual annual indexation. The standard Visitor visa (subclass 600) rose from AUD 200 to AUD 250. Student visa fees climbed to AUD 2,500. Partner visas jumped to AUD 11,710.
The ETA and eVisitor were left untouched. The eVisitor remains free. The ETA remains AUD 20.
That decision reflects a deliberate policy choice: Australia has kept its cheapest visitor pathways cheap while extracting revenue from higher-value visa categories. For the 70-plus countries covered by the ETA and eVisitor combined, the cost of visiting Australia for a short business trip or holiday is effectively zero to AUD 20 — a fraction of what the US, UK, or Schengen area charge for equivalent authorisations.
What This Means for Business Travellers
Both visas permit business visitor activities: attending meetings, negotiating contracts, and conducting official business. Neither permits paid employment.
For corporate mobility teams, the practical implications are straightforward:
Passport determines the pathway, not the trip purpose. A US executive attending a Melbourne conference uses the ETA and pays AUD 20. A German colleague on the same trip uses the free eVisitor. A French colleague has both options and can choose based on speed versus cost.
The AUD 20 fee is non-refundable. The ETA app service charge is not returned if the application is refused or the trip is cancelled.
Processing is usually immediate. Most ETA decisions are returned within minutes. eVisitor processing times vary but are typically measured in days, not weeks.
Neither visa can be extended onshore. Travellers who need to stay longer must apply for a different visa from within Australia, typically the subclass 600.
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Quick Reference Summary
Item | ETA (601) | eVisitor (651) |
Cost | AUD 20 (app service fee) | Free |
Application | Australian ETA app only | ImmiAccount |
Eligible Passports | 34 (US, Canada, Japan, etc.) | 36 (European) |
Validity | 12 months | 12 months |
Stay per Entry | 3 months | 3 months |
Entries | Multiple | Multiple |
Business Visitor | Permitted | Permitted |
2026 Fee Change | Unchanged | Unchanged |
For the latest immigration updates, visa policy changes, and 2026 developments worldwide, visit: visasupdate.com/blog/category/australia
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